Endless Nightmares
by G-Kun Son
Summary: A faceless fiend is out to destroy Gohan's life. Death will rise and sorrow foreshadow.
1. Fears in the Night

Author's Note: Takes place after GT, except it's an AU fic since Goku is still around. First attempt at a major horror story, it'll be getting more graphic and detailed later on, I thought it best to be easy at first *grins*

Warning: Gore, graphic death scenes, and more coming up later in the fic. Lots of suffering and such, so be aware.

Disclaimer: Do not own dragonball, so please do not sue.

_Italic_ denotes thoughts

Endless Nightmares

Chapter 1: Fears in the Night

A tall man ran through a tainted forest in a frenzy, his racing breath drawing through the stale-like darkness that loomed around his vision. The sounds of twigs breaking and grass crashing under his feet echoed throughout the dense forest in which the man was running through, his fine shoes clumping heavily into the solid earth underneath him as he strode to gain speed to his strides. His gait was long, dark eyes widened with a hint of fear within their ebony depths, and the rustling of his clothing barely audible to even a Saiyan's sharp ears. Wind whipped through the man's spiked hair, the raven strands held upward and away from his face as if to keep his line of vision clear, his large glasses gently sliding down the front of his nose, moist from the sweat trickling down his brow. The figure gulped, daring a glance behind him though his pace did not slow with the motion. His mouth opened agasp in shock, his foot catching in an overgrown plant root that sent him flying forward and to the surface quickly approaching. Son Gohan groaned deeply, prying himself from the ground quickly as the heels of his shoes dug deep into the surface of the earth, carrying him back and away from the being that was chasing him. He didn't even seem to notice that he had lost his glasses along the way, a tingle of fear running through his spine as he heard the crack of glass against large weight.

He wasn't going to make it.

Fear sized Gohan as he tried to hurry his pace; really wishing he didn't always dress up so formally for work. The dark navy suit looked good on him, or so Videl had mused when she had purchased him the wardrobe for work. '_A teacher...eh…you usually don't see to many of those running through the forest in the middle of the night_,' thought Gohan in vain, not believing that he was thinking such a thing when he was being chased around for Kami's sake! He pushed the thoughts away from his mind, trying to stay focused on fleeing before something he didn't want to happen actually happened.

Pan. Videl. His family.

Gohan moved the thoughts away from his mind, not willing to let them stay there where they would surely drive him insane. He couldn't think about them now. It wasn't the time nor the place. He frowned at his own thoughts, shaking his head to rid them from his mind as he moved his head back to glance once again behind his shoulder, making sure to watch where he was stepping as he did so this time. He didn't even want to give anyone a chance to get closer to him, the thought running through his mind and causing his train of thought to stride away.

Too close. Much too close.

Gohan cringed noticeably, seeing his attacker racing closely behind him, the shadowy figure's body and features lost behind him as he stayed well within the cover of shadows of the night. A feeling of dread…or was it fear?…settled into Gohan's mind, his head shaking to try to push them away. He couldn't give up. He had to keep going.

Gohan sighed. This wasn't easy. He had been running from this nightmare for ages, the dark figure always chasing so close behind him. Gohan was afraid to fight him, something holding him back from giving in and trying to fight the being in front of him. A bead of sweat rolled down the side of Gohan's face, his mind in turmoil.

A tingle settled into Gohan's subconscious, his head snapping back as he felt the evil presence come closer, his speed already increased to its maximum. He screamed out in fear as a hand latched onto his shoulder and he fell face first into the ground.

*******

Gohan jolted up from his bed, his chest heaving in deep breaths and his mouth agasp as his lunges strided to fill themselves with the lolling oxygen that encompassed him. His ebony eyes blinked, a wide hint to their dark depth as he stared at the wall in front of him, one hand moving to rest over his racing heart. He stared around for a moment, his wide eyes critical and watchful as he inspected the room he was in as the small shadows that still lingered in dawn's presence slowly became exposed. "Nothing…" Gohan breathed the words through a sigh of relief, his hand slowly leaving his chest only to rest atop the bundle of thick blankets that were spread out in front of him. They were spread and messed up around his form, showing that he had obviously had a fitful night of sleep.

Reaching up a hand to his brow, Gohan unconsciously wiped away small beads of sweat from his brow, the cool droplets contradicting to his body and his racy mood. He shook his head slowly to rid himself of his thoughts; his hands pulling away the covers on his bed before he slowly slid off the side. His bare toes flexed against the cool surface, a shiver running down his spine and causing the hairs on the back of his neck to stand on end. Gohan cringed, his arms wrapping around himself almost protectively.

He blinked when he suddenly took notice of something very important…

He was alone.

Gohan's gaze stared around the room, his eyebrows raised as he noticed that Videl's usual sleeping spot was vacant and the space in-between them where Pan would usually run to in the middle of the night was also empty. His daughter had been having horrible nightmares recently and caused her to become frightened and bolt for her parent's room in the middle of the night where she felt a little more safe next to her "hero-of-a-father" as Pan so bluntly put it.

A smile crept onto Gohan's lips as he shrugged off his worries for the time being. They were probably just in the kitchen anyway.

Moving into the bathroom, Gohan sighed softly. He quickly discarded of his sleeping clothes, letting the articles of clothing fall into the hamper within the bathroom as his hands reached out to grab a towel from the cabinet, which he quickly wrapped around his waist. He walked over to the shower slowly, turning on the water and listening as droplets of water streamed from the faucet. Gohan moved away the towel wrapped around his waist before moving into the shower, the warm water cascading down his chest that served to help calm his raging nerves.

He slowly went about the task of cleaning himself; washing his hair, soaping off his body, as well as many other things, not at all feeling like rushing. Only when he heard the gentle rapping at the door of the bathroom, a soft angelic girl's voice shouting through the thick door as she tried to call out to her father. "Dad! Mom said you're going to be late for work if you don't hurry up!" called out Pan; Gohan's first and only daughter. '_Damnit, I forgot about today's lecture_,' thought Gohan, a curse ringing off his lips as he shut off the water within the shower. He slowly reached out a hand for the towel he had discarded earlier, rewrapping it around his waist as he stepped outside into the cool air of the bathroom that caused his body to shiver.

"I'll be out in a minute Pan," called out Gohan to his daughter, a smile flickering onto his lips as he heard the small 4 year old squeak an 'okay' and then scamper off, the sounds of her feet padding against the ground clearly heard with her movements. Gohan shook his head slowly at his daughter's antics before moving about drying himself off and continuing with daily routine, though not as slowly as before.

It was a good half an hour before Gohan found himself completely ready to go, his hands absently adjusting the tie around his neck as he fit it into place. He sighed softly, retrieving his glasses from the nightstand by his and Videl's bed before slipping them over his eyes as he headed out of the room. He really didn't understand his mother and Videl's need to make him look older by telling him that he needed to wear glasses, a sigh on his lips since they were quite annoying at times. He shrugged his shoulders nonetheless, putting on a small smile as he walked into the kitchen and saw Pan sitting at the table, absently munching some cereal that Videl had placed in front of her.

"Hi daddy!" chirped the small girl, her short strands of black hair bouncing around her thin face. She smiled; an orange bandana wrapped around one of her wrists and waving through the air as the young girl waved hello to her father.

"Morning Panny, where's your mother?" asked Gohan softly, smiling at his daughter as he walked over to her slowly, kissing her lightly atop her head. Pan squealed loudly, hugging her father tightly and as best as her small arms would allow. "She's said she had to go to the store 'nd pick up 'tuff for dinner tonight." Said Pan in a rush, her bright eyes shining as she watched her father walk over to the counter and look through his bag that held all of his lecture materials. Her head tilted to the side slightly as she heard a deep sigh ring from her father's lips, her brows furrying in a confused expression. "What's the matter dad?" asked Pan tentatively.

"Nothing Panny, I'm just thinking." Replied Gohan simply, forcing a thin smile onto his lips as he finished looking through his bag once he found everything he needed within its confines. "Pan tell your mother I left for work. I don't want to be late. You remember what we told you?" asked Gohan gently, a smirk on his lips as he watched a pensive look form on Pan's visage.

Pan's sudden look dropped from her face in a flat second and was replaced by a bright smile as she remembered. "Yeah!" she piped rather cheerfully after a short moment. "Don't talk to strangers, don't answer the phone unless its grandpa's number, 'n' don't open the door!" said Pan, thoroughly pleased with herself. She loved that her parents gave her the freedom to be home alone even if it was only for the few minutes that her father was gone at work and her mother was on the way home from picking something up from the store in the morning or late afternoon. 

"Good job Panny. I'll be back later. Behave." Said Gohan softly, giving Pan a proud smile of confidence for her accomplishment. He found it amusing how happy the small girl was about just the simplest thing but for her age he figured it was a big deal. He knew he would never be allowed to stay home alone when he was her age with Chi-Chi as a mother, though he doubted he would have liked it if he had been allowed. He never did like being left alone when he was younger, though that had changed over time.

He chuckled softly to himself, waving Pan goodbye as the girl waved vigrously back at him, a wide smile on her lips as black strands of hair bounced at the sides of her face. "Bye daddy!" the little girl yelled out as Gohan walked out of the door of his home, unknown to him that he would never see his daughter again.

Bring on the reviews, flames, constructive criticism, whateve!


	2. Reality Check

Author's Note: I personally think this is a rather weird and confusing chapter, clarity promises to come in future chapters.

'_Italic_' denotes thoughts

_Italic_ denotes mind voices

Endless Nightmare

Chapter 2: Reality Check

Son Gohan was a teacher at Satan City University, a respected college and a place to find good work with knowledgeable students. Gohan was respected there, for the most part, and seen as a good teacher to those who took the time to listen to his helpful words. Others, the ones who only noted his younger features, were often the ones who didn't make it pass first quarter.

It was a typical day for Gohan. Lecturing at the head of a large classroom filled with people in their elder teens, some in their twenties like himself. He hadn't been working long for the University but they already seemed to like him there. The thought always seemed to make him smile, he liked it. He liked having a job and making his mother proud with his line of profession. She had always wanted him to grow up to be something big, after all.

Gohan let a content sigh ring from his parted lips as he gently straightened a stack of papers on his desk, absently putting them in order before slipping them inside a folder and into his bookbag. He always carried the bookbag around when he taught, finding it much simpler and easier to use than anything else. He chuckled softly at his own musings before standing to leave his classroom, flicking off the lights on the way out as darkness enclosed around where he had just been.

Soon, so soon… 

Gohan stopped in his tracks not more than three steps out of his classroom. His dark eyes narrowed and his chin tilting downward as he slowly turned around. He blinked through the darkness that encompassed the room around him, the shades in all of the windows shut, leaving the place blanketed in a dark veil. Gohan peered through the darkness, his hand unknowingly clenching around the line of his bookbag. "Who's there?" he called out into the darkness. He couldn't sense anything but he could have sworn he had heard the lightest whisper, the words sending a shiver down his spine.

He received no answer to his calling, a tilt coming to his head as he just stood there, for a moment, listening to the sounds around the area. Trying to pinpoint the…

"Son-sama?"

Gohan didn't catch the soft call of a woman's voice, his mind too into the task of what he had heard. Something was wrong and he wasn't about to make a mistake by just turning his back and walking away. If his father, Son Goku, had ever taught him anything it was to never turn and flee from a feeling or fight.

"Uh, Son-sama? Are you there?" called out the voice again, an annoyed tone etched into the back of the woman's voice as she reached out a hand to tap Gohan lightly on the shoulder. "Son-sama?" she repeated quietly, hoping he would hear her from her close distance.

Gohan screeched softly, jumping a step back into his classroom and the darkness as a hand gently tapped his shoulder. He blinked, adjusting his glasses atop his eyes as he glanced at the woman in front of him. Her name was Victria, one of the front office and admission workers for the college. He had spoken to her a few times in a meeting or two with the headboard of teachers when discussing the incoming students for the year. He was quite surprised to see her, his head shaking slowly at himself for not paying attention to someone calling him. His cheeks blushed a small shade of red, Gohan working quickly to smoother the look of embarrassment at the woman's stern features.

"Sorry, I was out of it for a moment there. You wanted to speak to me?" asked Gohan slowly, a friendly smile floating on his lips with each word. He tried to keep the focused look onto his features, his mind still drifting away back toward his classroom and the soft voice that he had heard in his mind. There was something familiar behind the words. Gohan's muscles tensed at his thoughts, his head shaking slowly as he tried to push them away from his mind for the time being. 

Victria chuckled softly, a hand reaching up to cover her mouth as she looked at Gohan, an amused smirk written across her features. "I noticed. Sorry to disturb you, I know your shift is over with, but we just received a call for you at the front office." Said Victria after calming her chuckling down. She absently pulled at the long sleeves of her red dress, straightening the cover of her business-type suit before turning around and leading the way to the front office for Gohan. 

"Did you catch a name?" asked Gohan softly, his ebony eyes blinking at the thought of who would possibly call him at work when he would be home shortly. He shrugged his shoulders nonetheless, following beside Victria as he absently listened to the sounds of her high-heeled shoes clicking against the solid stone ground underneath them.

"Yes, a Son Goku. Family I presume." Replied Victria singly, straying a glance to see the slightly bewildered look on Gohan's face. "Something the matter, Son-sama?" she asked gently, turning away from him as they headed into the main office, the hallways vacant, classes having ended more than an hour ago.

Gohan blinked, his head shaking slowly. "No, nothing. My father just doesn't use the phone that much." Explained Gohan slowly, a little surprised that his father had not just used his Instant Transmission to come to him himself instead of phoning him at work. He sighed softly, really hoping it was nothing serious.

"Right this way, Son-sama. You can use this phone." Stated Victria as she walked into one of the offices within the school's admission office, picking up a phone and handing it to Gohan. "Your caller is on line two." With that Victria left the small room, closing the room behind her so as to give Gohan his privacy.

Gohan nodded a thanks as he picked up the phone, looking to the phone's base dashboard as he pressed the line two button, a small click sounding through the receiver before the line was open. "Dad?" called out Gohan lightly into the phone, his dark eyes absently looking through the clear windows that encompassed most of the room and walls half way.

"Oh hey Gohan!" was his reply, the obvious sound of Goku's voice ringing through the other end of the phone. There was a small pause as Gohan waited to see what his father wanted, his eyebrows raised in a curious expression to figure why he had called him. 

"Um, Gohan, can you come straight here after work? There's something I have to tell you and not over the phone or anywhere else but at home. Don't stop at your place to see Panny or Videl, just come straight here. Okay?" Goku spoke slowly through the other line, his voice drowned in seriousness. He lost his cheerful attitude in one a second, replacing it with one of intense concentration and focus. Something was obviously wrong.

Gohan couldn't help but worry at the tone of his father's voice, nodding slowly to his words as if it would help him cope with that voice. "Alright, I'll be over in a minute." Replied Gohan tentatively. He sighed softly, saying a quick goodbye before hanging up the phone on the receiver, a deep breath racing between his lips. "Wonder what's the matter…" asked Gohan aloud to himself, shaking his head slowly as if the answer should just pop into his mind suddenly. He really wasn't too worried about it though, even though his father had been specific in him not going to see Pan and Videl first, he shrugged it off however, figuring it was because of some serious situation that needed to be spoken about only in person. He knew if it had been a life-threatening thing he would have told him right then and there or see him in person, but since he had not Gohan figured there was no reason to worry. It was probably just something trifling, like planning Pan's next birthday party or something along those lines.

A sigh rang from Gohan's parted lips, shrugging of his worrisome thoughts as he ran a hand through his uplifted raven hair. He grabbed his bag and walked out of the room casually, his mind pensive as he waved a goodbye to Victria and headed out of the university's front doors.

*******

Gohan walked up to the front door of his parent's home, his eyes scanning around the small house that he had grown up in and lived in until he had become a father and moved out to live with Videl. He smiled at his thoughts, determined not to worry about whatever his father had to tell him, as he walked to the front door and knocked on it lightly.

He blinked, a smile forming on his lips as the door was opened in front of him a few moments later, Chi-Chi smiling softly at her son. "Gohan! I'm so happy you're here!" said Chi-Chi quickly, moving to embrace her eldest son in a tight hug, a chuckle admitting from Gohan's mouth as he slowly pried himself from her grasp and walked inside the house behind her.

"Goku's in the kitchen," said Chi-Chi softly once Gohan was inside and the door shut tightly behind him. She flashed her son a sad smile, pointing toward the kitchen before brushing aside strands of black hair, sniffling lightly before turning her back and walking away into another room adjacent from the front door's entrance.

"Mom…?" called out Gohan questioningly toward his mother, a befuddled look written across his face. "What's the matter? What's going on?" he asked, a slight edge to his tone as he heard his mother whimpering softly. She was crying, that much was obvious to Gohan. He blinked, moving to take a step toward her as he gingerly rested a hand on her shoulder, his mouth opening to speak though he was cut short as Chi-Chi merely pointed in the direction of the kitchen, shrugging off his hand as she left the room completely.

"Alright…" he said softly, turning toward the kitchen as he slowly walked for the doorway. His ebony eyes widened as he saw his father sitting at the table, his hands clasped around a cup with a steaming liquid inside of it, the vapors rising from within its confines. "Dad?" called out Gohan slowly, alerting his father his presence verbally; even though he knew he could sense him easily.

He slowly walked over to the table, setting aside his bag by the doorway as he sat down gently in a seat across from Goku. His hands rested on the tabletop, his fingers intertwined together as he looked at his father quizzically. "Dad, what's going on? And what's wrong with mom?" asked Gohan slowly, his eyebrows raised as he reached up a hand, removing his glasses from his face and setting them on the table. He never liked using them when he didn't need to since they often made him dizzy in the head at times. 

He blinked as he watched the silent Goku. The man didn't look well at all; his eyes downcast and toward the table, his raven strands blocking most of his face as the thick strands jolted to cover his features with his down-tilted chin. The Saiyan's head slowly looked up after a silent pause, tension building in the room, as a serious and sorrowed expression was cast into Goku's normal sprite features. 

Gohan waited in silence for his father to speak, his breath caught in his chest. He didn't like this at all. His father was never so silent, why didn't he just tell him what was the matter?

"Gohan…Videl died." 

The simple words caused Gohan's world to black out as he toppled out of his chair and onto the ground, darkness enclosing around his vision as he fell unconscious. The thing he saw before his eyes fell shut was his father's startled and worried façade.


End file.
